I have written a lot about the core appeal of Florida fandom to me when I first had the opportunity 12 years ago: Crushing expectations.

After a lifetime of rooting for Northwestern (up to that point, "bowl eligibility or fail!") and the Wizards ("just don't lose your place in the draft order during the NBA Lottery!"), there was something so invigorating about rooting for a team where even a single loss can ruin a season.

I will be rooting for the Spurs, for a lot of reasons: I think the Heat
are more interesting when they lose epically. I love the idea of the
"Duncan Dynasty" extending beyond the Spurs' last title another
half-decade, truly one of the most remarkable runs in the history of the
NBA -- most uber-elite player can win multiple titles in a row. It
takes a truly unique situation to win five titles over 15 years.

If I was a Heat fan, if I was LeBron James, if I was a fan of the NBA... I wouldn't want it any other way than it is right now.

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DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.